BD Awards $12,000 in Scholarships to Advance Technical and Vocational Training in Nebraska

BD Medication & Procedural Solutions and Pharmaceutical Systems sites in Columbus push to close skills gap needed by local industry

May 5, 2015

COLUMBUS, NE, May 5, 2015 – BD Medical, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, has awarded $12,000 in scholarships to three local high school graduates pursuing technical degrees in high-demand fields such as electromechanical technology and precision machining.

BD Medical operates two manufacturing plants in Columbus – Medication & Procedural Solutions and Pharmaceutical Systems sites. The scholarships, valued at $4,000 each for a two-year course of study, were established by both sites to cultivate and develop the specialized skills and training needed for careers in technology-oriented manufacturing companies. In addition to financial assistance for their educations, BD Medical also will provide the students internships at its two sites. The students, in turn, will commit to a two-year work assignment with BD Medical after graduation.

“BD has been an integral part of the Platte County economy since we opened manufacturing operations in Columbus in 1949,” said Shawna Hilbert, Human Resource Manager, BD Medical – Pharmaceutical Systems. “As the county’s single largest employer, we believe it is our responsibility to help build a qualified local workforce. It is in both BD’s and the community’s interests to ensure workers possess the highly specialized skills companies like BD need to grow and compete in today’s global economy.”

The BD Medical scholarship recipients selected for 2015-2016 are:

Tyler Campbell – a graduate of Humphrey High School, Campbell will be attending Northeast Community College/Norfolk, majoring in Electromechanical Technology.

Mike Boeding – a graduate of Columbus High School, Mike will be attending Central Community College/ Columbus, majoring in Mechatronics.

Keaton Swanson – a graduate of Columbus Scotus High School, Keaton will be attending Southeast Community College/Milford, majoring in Precision Machining and Automation Technology.

The three graduates were selected from applicants representing 25 area high schools. The scholarships were awarded based on results from standardized test scores, letters of recommendation and a personal interview.

BD Medical’s two manufacturing facilities in Columbus employ nearly 1,700 associates. The Medication & Procedural Solutions site is the largest worldwide producer of needles and saline syringes. The Pharmaceuticals Systems facility manufactures glass syringes and prepares rubber parts for the pharmaceutical industry. BD also has operations in Broken Bow and Holdrege, representing 1,000 additional associates.

About BD

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of healthcare by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for healthcare providers. BD and its 65,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians' care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers' capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to healthcare. In 2017, BD welcomed C. R. Bard and its products into the BD family. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com